WALL TOWNSHIP – A heartbreaking showing of a family’s love and a community’s bond took place on the front yard of Stephan and Michael Dushnick’s Birch Place home on Thursday night.

Dozens of children and teary-eyed adults quietly held candles or placed them in a row on the curb, an emotional song played from a laptop computer and a pair of still-inflated balloons, left over from Michael Dushnick’s 22nd birthday last week, were released into the air.

“Goodbye my boys,” their mother Karen Dushnick said as the balloons drifted up to the heavens. “I love you so much”

Michael and Stephan Dushnick, right, pose with their sister Kathleen at Stephan's graduation from the Culinary Institute of America in 2013. (Photo courtesy of the Dushnick family)Courtesy of the Dushnick family.

Michael and his 24-year-old brother Stephan were killed early Thursday morning when the 2000 Honda Odyssey van they were traveling in crashed into a tree on Ramshorn Drive, just yards from their Birch Place home.

Authorities were still investigating the cause of the crash Thursday night. But as they were, family, friends and neighbors remembered the brothers during the somber candlelight vigil.

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“We knew there was an accident because the traffic was being detoured down our street, but we never thought it was someone who lived right here,” Nancy Griffin, who lives across the street from the Dushnick family on Birch Place, told NJ.com earlier in the day. “It happened so close, the people on that side of the street, maybe even their parents, were probably able to hear it.”

But Kathleen Dushnick said her parents did not hear the crash. They were notified of the accident and the loss of their sons the same was she was.

“With a policeman knocking on the door,” she said.

As of Thursday night, Kathleen said she still had no idea where her brothers crashed or even where they were going to or coming from.

“All I know is that they’re gone,” she said.

Neighbor Laurie Chiodo said the Dushnicks are such a friendly and loving family, active in the community, that the news of the brothers’ death had their neighbors immediately searching for meaningful ways to express their condolences to the family.

This is how the vigil came about.

“Their parents were really touched that so many people cared,” Chiodo told NJ.com before the vigil. “They’re such a nice family. I feel terrible for them.”

Stephan Dushnick comforts his wife Karen during a candlelight vigil Thursday night for their sons, Stephan and Michael, who were killed in a car crash hours earlier.Rob Spahr / NJ.com

Griffin called the Dushnicks a “wonderful” family and she got emotional remembering the unique way the boys’ father, Stephan, would send his children off to school each morning.

“He’d always tell them things like ‘Do something great today’ or ‘Make a positive impact on the world today,’” Griffin said. “This is just so sad.”

After a song that reminded the parents of their sons’ childhood – “Somewhere Out There” from the “An American Tale” soundtrack – played for the quiet crowd of mourners in the street and the balloons were cut free, Stephan Dushnick embraced his tearful wife as she thanked her friends and neighbors for their support.

And then before the grieving couple retreated back inside their home alone, he too thanked the crowd.

“Thank you all of you for coming. Thank you for being here for us, and for our boys,” Dushnick said. “This yard is available to you any time you want to use it.”

The Wall Township Police Department is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information about to call Sgt. Clark at 732-449-4500 or the tips line at 732-280-4288.